France eases cow diet rules to help cheesemakers
Scorching summer heat has left many pastures bare, necessitating supplementary feed
PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2026 at 16:45
PARIS – Wide<a href="https://healthylife7.com/pa-measles-spread-to-westmoreland-butler-new-cases-up-by-nearly-100/” title=”PA measles spread to Westmoreland, Butler; new cases up by nearly 100″>spread drought and record-breaking heatwaves have forced France to relax some of its famously strict rules on cheese production, with authorities on Wednesday announcing special measures for abondance, beaufort and comte cheeses
France’s vast array of local cheeses are atect traditional production methods and ensure authenticity
To earn a coveted “appellation d’origine protegee” (Protected Designation of Origin) label — and the right to give their cheese a particular protected name — producers must follow rigid rules on where their animals graze and what they eat
But the summer’s drought, which affected 95% of mainland France in July, has left normally rich pastures dry and bare
In response, the government has said producers of abondance, beaufort and comte, hard cheeses made from the raw milk of cows grazing in the Alps and Jura mountains, can supplement the animals’ diet with more fodder and grain brought in from elsewhere
Growth on permanent grasslands as of August 10 is a third less than the 1989-2018 average, according to the Agriculture Ministry’s statistical service
The fodder situation is “highly degraded” in almost all regions, the ministry said earlier this month
The National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), the government agency that administers and enforces rules of origin, says it will also grant temporary relief for several other cheeses including reblochon, cantal, bleu d’Auvergne, and fourme d’Ambert
Europe’s record-breaking summer heat has caused thousands of excess deaths, set wildfires blazing and seen major rivers drop to record lows
In France, farmers are bracing for their smallest corn crop since 1980, and winegrowers are reporting some of the earliest harvests on record
Scientists say human-caused climate change has intensified the drought, with extreme heat rather than low rainfall driving the dry conditions
